12 Ways To Enjoy & Get Through Winter

For most, winter is perhaps the most difficult season to get through.

#IDon’tWantToHaveAShowerBecauseIDon’tWantToHaveToGetOutOfTheShower.

I personally have learned to love the cold season and over the past few years have found little things that now really allow me to embrace winter with open arms. It’s all about problem solving, instead of whinging about the cold when trying to get out of bed each morning, I make sure I have things to look forward to like a caramel Nespresso or a vanilla candle to burn while I get ready for the day! It really is all about the little things, so here are my tips on how to not only survive hibernation season, but to actually enjoy it!

Get some cosy new bed linen

One of my favourite parts about a new season is changing up our bedding, and for winter this means taking on the challenge of creating the comfiest bed with the cosiest bedding I can find! I am obsessed with our Penney + Bennett Organic Cotton Duvet Cover, they seriously use the most gorgeous fabric so that slipping into bed every night feels like luxury. It also makes Sundays in bed watching Netflix so cosy! This is also the time of the year to find an amaaazzzziiinnng throw.

Candles and fragrances are your best friend

Filling up your home with scents does wonders for my happiness levels. I am always so much happier when we have a candle burning, there’s just something about it that makes you feel so relaxed! I love experimenting with woody, cinnamon flavoured candles and perfumes during the winter that make me feel warm and happy on the inside. My go-to candle to burn is Glasshouse Tahaa Vanilla Carameland my go-to winter fragrance is Dyptique Eau Duelle.

Read ALL the books

People always talk about ‘finding the ultimate summer read’, but I am definitely one of those people that reads so much more during the winter! During summer I’m always busy out and about, but in winter I love curling up in bed at night with a good book to help lull me off to sleep. Right now I’m reading Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, I’m half way through and it’s super quirky, hilarious but I can totally sense that something dramatic is about to happen! I love a story that can make you both laugh and cry.

Go to the movies on cheap Tuesday nights

Liam and I just discovered that if you get a Hoyts rewards card then you get a free movie! Winter life hack 101. Literally our FAVOURITE hobby! The movies are expensive, but when you bring your own snacks, get tickets for $12 on cheap Tuesdays or get a Hoyts rewards card then it’s such a fun thing to do on a rainy evening! We recently saw Oceans 8 which was AMAZING, such a girlboss hilarious film. Loved it!

Treat yourself to some special wintery Nespresso flavours or Tea2 teas

If you’ve got a Nespresso machine, a fun way to make winter mornings more bearable is to get some delicious flavours. My absolute favourites are Vanilio & Caramelito (can you tell I have a sweet tooth?). If you’re not into coffee, Tea2 does SO many fun flavours, my faves being Apple Crumble& Choc Chip Chai

Make sure you always have a back up series to watch on Netflix for after your current one ends

THIS IS SO IMPORTANT.

I think we can all agree that it’s basically impossible to survive winter once your Netflix series finishes and you’re back into wasting two hours trying to decide on what to watch next. We recently finished Peaky Blinders, The Killing and Safe, we loved all of them so if you’re looking for something to watch next, definitely go for any of those! We’re also watching Queer Eye season two and naturally I am absolutely obsessed with it.

If you haven’t already, get into skiing & snowboarding

Liam taught me how to snowboard two years ago when we first got together and all though I’m definitely still learning, I have been really enjoying our trips down to Queenstown and Ruapehu to snowboard! My family was never into skiing growing up so I never really got to experience it, but now that we have season passes its really made Winter SUPER exciting once it arrives each year!

If you have the funds, book a mid-winter trip to Bali or Queenstown

An obvious one, there’s nothing like a mid-winter getaway for some sun or some Ferg Burg!

Get into weekend baking

There is literally nothing better than filling your home up with the scent of freshly baked banana bread, it’s just SO cosy and it’ll make your flatties/bf/gf super happy! My fave recipe is this one from Deliciously Ella

Buy the cosiest dressing gown you can find

I’m not kidding when I tell you I pretty much live in my Citta Dressing Gown during winter. It stays next to my bedside for when I need to get up in the middle of the night for water or a wee (let’s be real) and I’m always in it when doing my evening/morning skincare routine because WHO wants to wash their face with water in the freezing cold without a fluffy dressing gown on? If you can do that then you’re bloody brave in my eyes. It’s also a life saver when getting out of the shower (after drying yourself inside the shower with the heat locked in, I’m such a baby) because honestly that’s probably the WORST part about winter

Go out for hot chocolate dates in your favourite cafe every weekend

We can’t all afford Sunday Brunch every week but we can ALL afford a $4.00 hot choccy/coffee! I love meeting friends at my fave cafes or just going out with Liam to our local on a Sunday morn. It’s cheap, it’s yum and it’s something to do, rain or shine!

Save a good lineup of podcasts in your phone for when you’re stuck in rainy traffic